Remember when Christmas decorations didn’t appear immediately after Halloween, and the whole season didn’t seem to revolve mostly around buying stuff? No? Me neither… It’s so easy to get swept up in the craze of finding the perfect gift, the best deal and beating the crowds at it, that we often end up with much more than we need. Believe me, I’m as guilty as anyone (uh yeah, this girl LOVES an excuse to shop) but as a general rule I pretty much treat Black Friday and Cyber Monday like I do gluten: stay away! Ever since 2008, when a woman was trampled to death in a stampede of Black Friday deal hunters at a Wal-Mart – I became pretty grossed out by the whole movement. I mean, what does it say about our society that people could act so greedily under the auspice of being generous, that they savagely stomp out someone’s life?! YIKES! And apparently, there have been at least 7 other Black Friday related deaths and 90 injuries recorded since 2006. That sure doesn’t sound like the holiday spirit to me…
So while boycotting Black Friday and Cyber Monday is one great way to show your solidarity, why not take it one step further? If you’ve never heard of #GivingTuesday, unfortunately you’re not alone. Fortunately that’s about to change. Founded in 2012 by the 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, #givingtuesday is a “response to commercialization and consumerism in the post-Thanksgiving season” and offers an alternative to the mania of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. #GivingTuesday is, just like it sounds, a day dedicated to giving back, rather than shopping. So whether or not you wake up before the sunrise on Friday to stock up on discount electronics, Tuesday now offers an opportunity to get back to the spirit of the season.
Last year, the initiative raised over $27 million dollars for nonprofits across the country, and this year they hope to double it. Click below for 12 amazing and worthwhile ways to help #givingtuesday reach its goal!
[CLICK HERE] For my full post via Guest of a Guest